Folkestone and Hythe District Council is the local authority for the Folkestone and Hythe District in Kent, England. The district was called Shepway prior to 2018. The council is elected every four years. Since the last boundary changes in 2015, 30 councillors have been elected from 13 wards.^[1]

Political control

The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority before coming into its powers on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1973 has been held by the following parties:^[2]

Party in control		Years
	Conservative	1973–1987
	No overall control	1987–1991
	Liberal Democrats	1991–1995
	No overall control	1995–1999
	Conservative	1999–2003
	Liberal Democrats	2003–2004
	No overall control	2004–2007
	Conservative	2007–2019
	No overall control	2019–present

Leadership

The leaders of the council since 1999 have been:^[3]

Councillor		From	To
Rory Love	Conservative	12 May 1999	14 May 2003
Linda Cufley^[4]	Liberal Democrats	14 May 2003	5 Aug 2004
Robert Bliss	Conservative	5 Aug 2004	15 May 2013
David Monk	Conservative	15 May 2013	7 May 2023
Jim Martin	Green	24 May 2023

Council elections

1973 Shepway District Council election
1976 Shepway District Council election
1979 Shepway District Council election (New ward boundaries)^[5]
1983 Shepway District Council election
1987 Shepway District Council election (District boundary changes took place but the number of seats remained the same)^[6]^[7]
1991 Shepway District Council election
1995 Shepway District Council election
1999 Shepway District Council election
2003 Shepway District Council election (New ward boundaries reduced the number of seats by 10)^[8]^[9]
2007 Shepway District Council election
2011 Shepway District Council election
2015 Shepway District Council election (New ward boundaries)^[10]
2019 Folkestone and Hythe District Council election
2023 Folkestone and Hythe District Council election

By-election results

1995-1999

St Mary in the Marsh By-Election 22 August 1996
Party		Votes	%
	Labour	593	47.9
	Conservative	429	34.7
	Liberal Democrats	215	17.4
Majority		164	13.2
Turnout		1,237	54.8
	Labour hold	Swing

Folkestone Central By-Election 4 September 1997
Party		Votes	%	±%
	Labour	278	42.2	+12.2
	Conservative	222	33.7	+5.1
	Liberal Democrats	158	24.0	-17.1
Majority		56	8.5
Turnout		658	20.8
	Labour gain from Liberal Democrats	Swing

1999-2003

Harbour By-Election 22 February 2001
Party		Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	387	43.0	+8.2
	Labour	273	30.4	-14.3
	Conservative	239	26.6	+6.1
Majority		114	12.6
Turnout		899	26.5
	Liberal Democrats gain from Labour	Swing

Hythe North By-Election 22 February 2001
Party		Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	480	51.9	-12.6
	Liberal Democrats	369	39.9	+17.0
	Labour	75	8.1	-4.5
Majority		111	12.0
Turnout		924	38.6
	Conservative hold	Swing

Morehall By-Election 22 February 2001
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Gary George	424	36.3	+0.5
	Conservative	Dick Pascoe	407	34.8	+4.0
	Labour		339	29.0	-4.5
Majority			17	1.5
Turnout			1,170	32.7
	Liberal Democrats gain from Labour		Swing

Hawkinge and Paddlesworth By-Election 5 April 2001
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Peter Smith	598	57.0	+57.0
	Conservative		451	43.0	-27.8
Majority			147	14.0
Turnout			1,049	34.7
	Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative		Swing

Folkestone Central By-Election 7 February 2002
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Hugh Barker	358	61.5	+25.7
	Labour		224	38.5	+0.7
Majority			134	23.0
Turnout			582	19.6
	Conservative hold		Swing

Folkestone Park By-Election 27 June 2002^[11]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats		1,003	58.3	+14.8
	Conservative	Edwina Boyt	653	37.9	-5.6
	Labour		65	3.8	-9.3
Majority			350	20.4
Turnout			1,721	36.1
	Liberal Democrats hold		Swing

St Mary's in the Marsh By-Election 24 October 2002
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Julie White	401	37.4	+17.4
	Conservative		365	34.0	-1.6
	Labour		262	24.4	+0.0
	UKIP		44	4.1	+4.1
Majority			36	3.4
Turnout			1,072	46.5
	Liberal Democrats gain from Labour		Swing

2003-2007

New Romney Coast By-Election 2 October 2003^[12]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Ann Birchmore	550	48.1	+15.4
	Conservative	Derek Morgan	502	43.9	-9.5
	Labour	Albert Ryder	91	8.0	-5.9
Majority			48	4.2
Turnout			1,143	41.8
	Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative		Swing

Romney Marsh By-Election 2 October 2003^[12]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Simon Ashworth	349	50.6	-5.6
	Liberal Democrats	Sylvia Oiller	273	39.6	+15.3
	Labour	Adrian Cirket	68	9.9	-9.6
Majority			76	11.0
Turnout			690	40.7
	Conservative hold		Swing

Folkestone East By-Election 22 April 2004
Party		Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	575	52.5	+33.9
	Liberal Democrats	352	32.1	-30.9
	Labour	169	15.4	-3.0
Majority		223	20.4
Turnout		1,096	37.0
	Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats	Swing

New Romney Town By-Election 29 September 2005^[13]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	David Stephenson	560	66.2	+19.0
	Labour		175	20.7	-18.1
	Liberal Democrats		111	13.1	-0.8
Majority			385	45.5
Turnout			846	33.5
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing

Folkestone Harvey Central By-Election 13 October 2005^[14]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Philip Martin	409	53.4	+16.7
	Labour		237	30.9	+8.5
	Liberal Democrats		120	15.7	-21.8
Majority			172	22.5
Turnout			766	23.7
	Conservative gain from Green		Swing

2007-2011

Hythe West By-Election 4 June 2009^[15]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Neil Matthews	589	39.6	+22.1
	Conservative	Paul Peacock	483	32.5	-26.4
	UKIP	Barbara Johnson	255	17.2	+5.9
	BNP	Harry Williams	94	6.3	+6.3
	Shepway Independents	Colin Tearle	65	4.4	+4.4
Majority			106	7.1
Turnout			1,486	46.1
	Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative		Swing

Romney Marsh By-Election 4 June 2009^[15]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Toby Clifton-Holt	430	58.7	-10.3
	Shepway Independents	Graham Snell	121	16.5	+16.5
	Liberal Democrats	Sally Matthews	114	15.6	-0.9
	Labour	Douglas Suckling	68	9.3	-5.3
Majority			309	42.2
Turnout			733	41.0
	Conservative hold		Swing

New Romney Coast By-Election 12 November 2009^[16]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Shane Lawrence	452	51.4	+2.2
	Liberal Democrats	Brian Wright	333	37.9	-12.9
	UKIP	Wendy Nevard	94	10.7	+10.7
Majority			119	13.5
Turnout			879	30.7
	Conservative hold		Swing

Lydd By-Election 10 February 2011^[17]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Tony Hills	591	49.3	-0.8
	Labour	Donald Russell	247	20.6	+20.6
	Liberal Democrats	Ted Last	184	15.3	-7.7
	Independent	Rochelle Saunders	177	14.8	+14.8
Majority			344	28.7
Turnout			1,199
	Conservative hold		Swing

2011-2015

Folkestone Park By-Election 29 November 2012^[18]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Lynne Beaumont	461	36.2	+12.2
	Conservative	Leo Griggs	320	25.1	-15.7
	People First Party	Patricia Copping	200	15.7	+1.5
	UKIP	Hod Birkby	153	12.0	+2.8
	Labour	Nicola Keen	111	8.7	+8.7
	Green	Derek Moran	29	2.3	+2.3
Majority			141	11.1
Turnout			1,274
	Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative		Swing

Folkestone Harvey Central By-Election 4 September 2014^[19]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	UKIP	David Callahan	287	27.9	+27.9
	Conservative	Rodica Wheeler	224	21.7	-17.4
	Liberal Democrats	Tom McNeice	198	19.2	+2.3
	Labour	Wendy Mitchell	196	19.0	-9.1
	Green	David Horton	96	9.3	+9.3
	TUSC	Seth Cruse	29	2.8	+2.8
Majority			63	6.1
Turnout			1,030
	UKIP gain from Conservative		Swing

Folkestone Harvey West By-Election 23 October 2014^[20]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Helen Barker	385	36.4	-18.8
	UKIP	Stephen Jardine	293	27.7	+27.7
	Liberal Democrats	Hugh Robertson-Ritchie	262	24.8	+3.4
	Green	Jasmine Heywood	61	5.8	+5.8
	Labour	Nicola Keen	57	5.4	-18.0
Majority			92	8.7
Turnout			1,058
	Conservative hold		Swing

2015-2019

New Romney By-Election 20 July 2017^[21]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Russell Tillson	566	35.4	+6.4
	Labour	John Cramp	523	32.7	+21.7
	Independent	David Wimble	431	27.0	+27.0
	Liberal Democrats	Val Loseby	77	4.8	-3.7
Majority			43	2.7
Turnout			1,597
	Conservative hold		Swing

References

^ "The Shepway (Electoral Changes) Order 2014", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2014/1908, retrieved 27 July 2022
^ "Shepway". BBC News Online. Retrieved 24 October 2009.
^ "Council minutes". Folkestone and Hythe District Council. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
^ "Council leader in quit shock". Kent Online. 29 July 2004. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
^ legislation.gov.uk - The District of Shepway (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1978. Retrieved on 19 November 2015.
^ The Canterbury and Shepway (Areas) Order 1985
^ legislation.gov.uk - The Kent (District Boundaries) Order 1987. Retrieved on 6 November 2015.
^ "Local elections". BBC News Online. Retrieved 24 October 2009.
^ legislation.gov.uk - The District of Shepway (Electoral Changes) Order 2001. Retrieved on 4 October 2015.
^ legislation.gov.uk - The Shepway (Electoral Changes) Order 2014. Retrieved on 3 November 2015.
^ "East Enders desert BNP". guardian.co.uk. 28 June 2002. Retrieved 24 October 2009.
^ ^a ^b "Shepway by-election". Hawkinge Gazette. 3 October 2003. Retrieved 24 October 2009.
^ "SNP triumphs in Fife". guardian.co.uk. 30 September 2005. Retrieved 24 October 2009.
^ "Tories boosted in local byelections". guardian.co.uk. 14 October 2005. Retrieved 24 October 2009.
^ ^a ^b "Declaration of result of poll" (PDF). Hythe Town Council. Retrieved 24 October 2009.
^ "Conservatives win New Romney Coast by-election". The Romney Marsh Times. 13 November 2009. Retrieved 20 November 2009.
^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Lydd Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Folkestone Park Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Folkestone Harvey Central Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Folkestone Harvey West Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
^ "Local Elections Archive Project — New Romney Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 29 December 2022.

By-election results Archived 29 March 2010 at the Wayback Machine

v t e Council elections in Kent
Kent County Council	1889 1892 1895 1898 1901 1904 1907 1910 1913 1919 1922 1925 1928 1931 1934 1937 1946 1949 1952 1955 1958 1961 1965 1967 1970 1973 1977 1981 1985 1989 1993 1997 2001 2005 2009 2013 2017 2021
Ashford Borough Council	1973 1976 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 2019 2023
Canterbury City Council	1973 1976 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 2019 2023
Dartford Borough Council	1973 1976 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 2019 2023
Dover District Council	1973 1976 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 2019 2023
Folkestone & Hythe District Council	1973 1976 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 2019 2023
Gravesham Borough Council	1973 1976 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 2019 2023
Maidstone Borough Council	1973 1976 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 2016 2018 2019 2021 2022 2023
Medway Council	1997 2000 2003 2007 2011 2015 2019 2023
Sevenoaks District Council	1973 1976 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 2019 2023
Swale Borough Council	1973 1976 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2015 2019 2023
Thanet District Council	1973 1976 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 2019 2023
Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council	1973 1976 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 2019 2023
Tunbridge Wells Borough Council	1973 1976 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 2016 2018 2019 2021 2022 2023
Rochester-upon-Medway City Council	1973 1976 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 Abolished
Gillingham Borough Council	1973 1976 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 Abolished
See also: Wards Boundary changes